AMSTERDAM — While Susan and Manfred Phemister worked in the office of their home at the Amsterdam Castle on Thursday, 25 teenagers chanted, screamed, danced, and built pyramids in their gymnasium.

The Amsterdam Castle on the city's South Side is playing host to a cheerleading camp.
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“It’s weird to think that people actually live here,” said Amsterdam High School cheerleader Kara DePasquale.

The Phemisters, who have turned the old Amsterdam Armory into their home, more recently have allowed community groups to use their large gymnasium. This has included hosting the WCSS dodgeball tournament and, this week, the annual Amsterdam High cheerleading camp.

High school cheerleading coach Mary Baia said the Phemisters worked with the cheerleading team to negotiate a price that the team could afford.

“They knew that we didn’t have a lot of funding, so they really worked with us,” Baia said. “We would never have gotten a gym this nice for this long without them.”

In previous years, the team practiced outside in nearby park fields because the athletic spaces within the district would be taken. In the event of rain, the planned practice day would be lost.

“Amsterdam is lucky enough to have a lot of sports teams,” Baia said. “We’re low on the totem pole.”

Baia, wife of 5th Ward Supervisor Karl Baia, said another reason for using the Castle was to support a local business and the community.

“This is very convenient for the kids and they just love it here,” Baia said.

“It’s much better this year,” DePasquale said about the camp’s location. “Before we’d be outside in the sweltering heat.”

The cheerleading camp opened Monday and concludes today. On Saturday, the girls are planning a mini camp for the cheerleaders involved with Little Giants.

“We want to make a more cohesive program. It is so important to have a good feeder program for the high school,” Baia said.

Susan Phemister said she enjoys having people in what is basically her home.

“This place is perfect for all types of athletics. The previous owners had a fencing tournament here,” Phemister said. “It’s nice to have people in the building and hopefully they’ll come back.”

Baia said she does anticipate using the space next year. The gym is a secluded space that not many people know about.

“We won’t have any teams spying on us this year,” Baia said. “You know how cheerleading teams are.”